Lunar Embassy Opens Lunar Land Sales Office in Beijing
In a bid to capitalize on the growing interest in space, especially following the recent successful crewed spaceflight, the American company Lunar Embassy has opened a lunar land sales office in Beijing, China.
According to China Daily, a plot of lunar land is being sold for $37, and customers will receive a certificate to verify their purchase.
Lunar Embassy has previously sold numerous parcels of land on the Moon, but no government has officially recognized these transactions as legally binding. The land purchases include rights to utilize mineral resources up to 3 kilometers beneath the lunar surface.
Founded in 1980 by entrepreneur Dennis Hope, Lunar Embassy operates on the belief that a loophole in the 1967 United Nations Outer Space Treaty legitimizes their sales. While no country or government holds jurisdiction over extraterrestrial land, the treaty does not specify individual or corporate ownership rights.
During a press conference in Beijing on October 18, Hope asserted, “I have 3.5 million customers, including former Presidents Ronald Reagan, Jimmy Carter, and various movie stars.” However, United Nations lawyers have stated that Lunar Embassy’s claims of ownership on the Moon are not valid.
China is the eighth country to host a Lunar Embassy office, following the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, and Japan.
